Time Is Running Out to Register To Vote

By Alyssa Chrisope

College students have a larger stake in this presidential election than they might realize, making their participation crucial.

Millennials, anyone currently between the ages of 18-35, form the largest living generation. More importantly, they now make up 31 percent of the electorate, according to an analysis of U.S. Census Data conducted by the Pew Research Center.

Dorothy Kennedy has worked in elections for two decades and has served as the director for the Lubbock County Elections Office for the last 13 years. She said the effects this election will have on college students in the years to come is the reason they need to get to the polls.

“Every election is important, but when you have a presidential like this, it really affects your future and the things that happen in your life after you have graduated and are out in the real working world,” Kennedy said. “There are a lot of things this election is going to lay the foundation for your generation, the college students.”

For some college students, this is the first presidential election they will participate in. For others, it might be their first time to vote away from their hometown. Kennedy has registered many college students over the years and said it is an easy process.

She further explained that the situation is unique for college students because they have two options. They can mail in a ballot sent to them from their home county, which can be time consuming and complicated.

The other, or easier option according to Kennedy, is to register in the county they currently reside in. She said that is what she encourages Texas Tech students to do while living in Lubbock county.

This is what the voter registration application looks like when you go to fill it out.

“It’s really easy,” Kennedy said. “It’s a quick little form and you need the address of where you stay at on campus or in an apartment in town or renting a house you just put that address with your name, date of birth, the last four digits of your social and your signature and that makes the change happen.”

Another concern students have after registering is the Texas Voter ID Law, which requires photo identification to be presented at the polls. Kennedy said it will not be a problem if a student has a different address on their driver’s license than their voter certificate.

Texans have until Oct. 11 to register to vote. Kennedy said if a person misses the deadline to change their address, but is already registered in another county, there are a few ways that they can help during the early voting period.